Super Eagles Icon Meets Ex Man Utd Coach, Shares Why He Left Nigeria After Tragic Accident: Video

• Tijani Babangida has opened up about the traumatic, ghastly accident that claimed the lives of his brother and son
• The unfortunate incident occurred while the former Ajax attacker was travelling along the Kaduna-Zaria road in Nigeria
• The Dutch club launched a campaign to aid the former Nigerian international following the unsavoury incident

Former Super Eagles winger, Tijani Babangida, has shared his heartbreak over the tragic accident that claimed the lives of his son and younger brother earlier this year.

The Atlanta Olympic gold medalist was involved in a devastating car crash on May 9, 2024, along the Kaduna–Zaria Road in Nigeria.

The accident tragically took the lives of his son, Fadil, and his younger brother, Ibrahim. Babangida’s wife and maid were also injured, while he sustained significant injuries to his knees and legs.

Speaking about the harrowing ordeal alongside former Manchester United manager, Louis van Gaal, the 51-year-old, visibly emotional, described the incident as a nightmare—one that has been incredibly difficult to process and move on from.

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Babangida stated that his decision to leave Nigeria was driven by the need to ensure his wife received proper medical treatment following the tragedy.

Babangida also expressed deep sorrow over losing his younger brother, a former international who was part of Nigeria’s victorious squad at the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Cup and often accompanied him on his travels.

Babangida speaks on accident and leaving Nigeria

In an emotional interview shared by Ajax on social media, the former Nigerian international reflected on the devastating accident that has left him traumatised.

“This is a nightmare. I think I will live with this trauma for the rest of my life. It’s hard to forget and move on when you suddenly lose your entire family.

This is my first time talking about the accident because I couldn’t before. I can’t even bear to look at photos or videos of my son,” Babangida said.

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“It’s even harder for my wife. She’s a famous actress in northern Nigeria, and after a year of marriage, we had a baby. Suddenly, he was gone.

“And my brother, who always travelled with me, was also taken. For me, I only suffered injuries to my legs and knees.

But I had to be there for my wife. That’s why I brought her here to the Netherlands for proper medical treatment. It’s been so difficult.

“After three months in the Netherlands, I finally told her that our child was in the car when the accident happened. She started asking about his name, but she doesn’t remember anything about him. She’s so strong, and I’m amazed she managed to survive,” he recounted.

In response to the tragedy, Ajax, the Dutch football giants, are doing everything they can to support their former winger as he works to recover both physically and emotionally.

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Babangida, who earned over 40 caps for the Super Eagles between 1996 and 2004, scored six goals during his international career, according to data from Transfermarkt.

Dutch club honours Babangida

Legit.ng in another report detailed how Dutch outfit, Roda JC, honoured Babangida following his unfortunate accident.

The 51-year-old was presented to the fans of the Eerste Divisie club ahead of a league clash. Babangida had spent three seasons at Roda.

Source: Legit.ng